At a time when GP recruitment is probably harder than it has ever been, the need to retain staff and keep those valuable assets happy, healthy and ready to work is paramount.
Whether staff departures are voluntary or involuntary, it can be problematic for practices due to the costs involved in finding replacement workers. Plus, once one employee leaves, a chain reaction often occurs and several other staff members will follow suit. Morale inevitably suffers too if turnover is too high or absence levels are too high.
Here are ten ways you can avoid these problems and ensure staff retention is increased
Ensure your employment packages for your GPs are competitive in-line with current market offerings
A competitive employment package is comprised of a number of elements. There are of course the financials – It’s essential you pay GPs fairly and in-line with current market rates, GP employment contract should be reviewed and amended where required. With Practice Budgets already Salary increases may seem somewhat counter intuitive however slight increases will work wonders for practice spirit and motivation.
Additionally, ensuring adequate levels of staffing will go a long way to improving retention. Many Practice Managers overlook the domino effect poor staffing levels have. Poor staffing levels often lead to increased workload on GPs and eventually burnout and ultimately depart the from the practice. Ensuring a suitable number of GPs at the practice from the get-go is crucial.
Be critical of yourself
As Practice Manager you along with GP Partners are the practice kingpins! It’s therefore important to be honest with yourself about how you’re managing staff.
For example, do you treat everyone equally? Do certain members of staff always end up dealing with those awkward patients? Do the same people end up with the dull jobs? Do you always say thank you? It’s often the small things that often help create a desirable professional environment and help retain staff.
Engage staff
Staff that feel engaged with the overall practice aims and an integral part of the team stay longer. By involving staff in decisions and communicating clearly with them, you can maintain and improve staff morale, even during periods of difficulty and change.
Flexibility helps
Could flexible working patterns help to retain staff? Of course, any flexibility has to fit within the restraints of your practice and regulations but parents, those studying for qualifications and older members of staff are just three examples where being flexibility can retain staff who would otherwise leave.
We hope the tips listed above assist with retention. Have you got tips you’d like to share? Leave a comment using comments section below.